Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 11 (Fantasy Football)

It’s Week 11, make a wish! For some, the number 11 holds a special significance, representing a moment of spiritual alignment or a connection with higher realms. In the realm of football, there are usually 11 players on the field for each team. Pretty neat and coincidental stuff here, I know. While we could venture into discussions about the main character from “Stranger Things” who shares a name with the number or the historic Apollo 11 moon landing, my goal is to not completely bore you and to stay focused on what truly matters. The upcoming week is your next chance to boost your current playoff position. If you are feeling a bit superstitious this week, a wish at 11:11 might just sprinkle some extra luck on the matchup ahead. So, without further delay, allow me to guide you through the premier pickups of Week 11.

• Complete Waiver Wire Rankings
• Weekly Waivers Episode of The Fantasy Footballers Podcast

Running Backs

Keaton Mitchell, RB, Baltimore Ravens – In last week’s edition of this article, we highlighted several compelling reasons to snatch up the elusive Keaton Mitchell from the waiver wire. If you listened to this advice, kudos because Mitchell continued to shine in Week 10, solidifying his case as a must-add in all leagues. Despite a devastating loss to the Cleveland Browns, Mitchell showcased his big-play potential once again, turning three carries into 34 yards and a touchdown. Adding to his versatility, he snagged a catch for an additional 32 yards. With consecutive finishes as RB17 or better, including last week’s impressive RB5 finish, Mitchell brings a dynamic edge that was previously absent in the offense. Having seemingly surpassed Justice Hill on the depth chart, Mitchell is hungry for more opportunities alongside Gus Edwards. While there is still an element of risk, Mitchell’s enticing weekly ceiling makes him a worthy addition to starting lineups for the highly-anticipated Thursday night showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Ty Chandler, RB, Minnesota Vikings – Prior to Cam Akers‘ unfortunate season-ending injury, the Minnesota backfield appeared to be up for grabs between him and Alexander Mattison. Despite Akers’ absence, Sunday showcased a fairly even distribution of opportunities between Mattison and Ty Chandler. Notably, Mattison’s potential concussion suffered in the third quarter of this game led to an even more expanded role for Chandler, who capitalized on his increased opportunities. Finishing Sunday’s game with 15 carries for 45 yards and a touchdown, Chandler’s performance and usage warrants immediate attention. Given Mattison’s uncertain status due to concussion protocols, Chandler’s elevated role becomes potentially crucial in the week ahead. Even as just a short-term option, he presents a promising opportunity, especially with a favorable matchup against the Denver Broncos looming. It is highly recommended to consider adding Chandler this week and to monitor the evolving dynamics of the backfield.

Rico Dowdle, RB, Dallas Cowboys – Tony Pollard‘s season has been a major disappointment, to say the least. However, in a dominating Week 10 beatdown against the New York Giants, his partner in the backfield, Rico Dowdle, stole the spotlight. Dowdle’s impressive 12 rushes for 79 yards and a touchdown clearly outperformed Pollard. Watching them in action, it was evident that Dowdle brings more juice and explosiveness to his runs at this point in time. As Dallas faces the Carolina Panthers in Week 11, an extremely promising matchup for running backs awaits. If Pollard falters and Dowdle continues to impress, we might witness a shift in opportunities moving forward. With the Dallas Cowboys enjoying a favorable rest-of-season schedule for fantasy purposes, Dowdle could be an underestimated asset in the offense to reap the rewards. Consider him a speculative addition, keeping a close eye on how the backfield opportunities unfold in the upcoming weeks.

• Complete Waiver Wire Rankings

Wide Receivers

Noah Brown, WR, Houston Texans – Remember the name: Noah Brown. While briefly mentioned in last week’s article, he was ultimately overshadowed by Tank Dell. However, this week, Brown rightfully has earned our full attention. Following a career-high 153 receiving yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown outdid himself in a game with more available targets, thanks to Nico Collins‘ absence. In the Texans’ captivating win over the Bengals on Sunday, Brown caught seven of eight targets, amassing 172 yards. He has now combined for an absolutely absurd 325 receiving yards over the last two weeks. Brown’s stellar performance positions him for an expanded role moving forward, potentially overshadowing Robert Woods and solidifying his role as a preferred target for C.J. Stroud. This level of dominance is not sustainable, but there is no shame in riding out the hot streak until the flame inevitably burns out.

Brandin Cooks, WR, Dallas Cowboys – After a sluggish start to the season, Brandin Cooks is once again cookin’. The seasoned veteran delivered a vintage performance in Week 10, securing nine out of 10 targets for an impressive 173 yards and a touchdown. While he may not garner as many opportunities as CeeDee Lamb in this offense, Dak Prescott‘s recent stellar play better positions Cooks to maintain his high-level production. With three touchdowns in his last four games, Cooks seems to be finding his groove in his new offense. Although starting him comes with some risk due to unpredictable weekly usage, Cooks warrants a speculative addition to your rosters given his proven track record as a valuable fantasy asset. He also has a very favorable schedule to wrap up the season, starting with an upcoming matchup against the Carolina Panthers in Week 11.

Michael Wilson, WR, Arizona Cardinals – The Arizona Cardinals are back, baby! After a horrific start to the season, the Cardinals’ offense looked completely different in Week 10, thanks to the return of Kyler Murray and James Conner. While Trey McBride and Hollywood Brown have generated most of the excitement with the return of their star quarterback, it is essential to keep a close eye on rookie wide receiver, Michael Wilson. Wilson possesses tremendous size for the position and has a noticeably polished game for a rookie. In Week 10, Wilson caught three of his six targets for 34 yards. Although his yardage total is not particularly impressive, we love to see him earning six targets. Consider adding Wilson this week before he showcases his potential to thrive in this new-look offense. If he can build chemistry with his new quarterback, Wilson could be one of the sneakiest second-half sleepers in fantasy football.

• Complete Waiver Wire Rankings

Tight Ends

Logan Thomas, TE, Washington Commanders – While I will never get tired of talking about Trey McBride, he has already been featured in several of the previous editions of this article. To be clear, there should not be a single league in the world where McBride is not rostered and he should be started immediately unless you have elite alternatives. Shifting focus from the emerging star, let’s delve into the more attainable, Logan Thomas. Not one for flashy plays, Thomas specializes in consistency and reliability. In a Week 10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, he secured all five of his targets for 40 yards, marking six out of ten games this season with 40+ receiving yards. Bolstering his appeal is the evident rapport with his evolving quarterback, Sam Howell. The veteran tight end faces another promising matchup in Week 11 against the New York Giants, who were most recently torched by the Dallas Cowboys.

Luke Musgrave, TE, Green Bay Packers – It has truly been a historic season for rookie tight ends. While Sam LaPorta and Dalton Kincaid have generated the most buzz, it is recommended to not overlook Green Bay’s Luke Musgrave, who possesses similar size and athleticism, positioning him as a potential fantasy stud. In a Week 10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the budding tight end flashed his potential, catching two of four targets for a season-high 64 yards. He additionally recorded his first touchdown of his career last week, enabling him to have consecutive notable fantasy performances. With Christian Watson having an extremely disappointing season and there not being a ton of competition for targets in this offense, Musgrave could earn a more expanded role moving forward. Looking ahead, Musgrave will look to build on this performance in a great Week 11 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers, who particularly struggle to defend the tight end position.

• Complete Waiver Wire Rankings

Quarterbacks

Team DEF/ST

• Complete Waiver Wire Rankings
• Weekly Waivers Episode of The Fantasy Footballers Podcast

Final Thoughts

In both life and fantasy football, three things are always certain: death, taxes, and the consistent emergence of fresh names to discuss on the waiver wire each week. Everything else is completely unpredictable, which can be extremely frustrating. Sure, your top draft pick cannot seem to score a touchdown to save his life this year, but at least Noah Brown has combined for over 300 receiving yards over his last two games and is just chilling on your waivers. Week after week, unknown players step up, becoming potential game-changers for desperate teams. As you navigate through these uncertainties, the hope is that the mentioned names above provide your team with the crucial edge needed for success in Week 11. I wish you good luck in the week ahead and superstitiously suggest you make a wish at 11:11 before games kickoff.